The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is seeking the help of the House of Representatives in restoring the budget for its service contracting program next year after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) did not approve some P10 billion worth of allocations for the program.
During the House Committee on Appropriations’ hearing on the DOTr’s proposed P150.76-billion budget for next year on Wednesday, Transportation Undersecretary for Finance Giovanni Lopez said the agency requested P10 billion for the service contracting program, but “unfortunately, hindi po naisama sa [this was not included in the] NEP (National Expenditure Program).”
Under the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) service contracting program, public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers who participated in the government’s free ridership program will receive a one-time payout of P4,000 and weekly payments based on the number of kilometer traveled per week, whether they have passengers or not.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the free ridership program of the agency has benefitted more than three million passengers.
“Kaya ngayon, nagsusumamo na tulungan niyo kami… tulungan niyo kami magkaroon ng budget para sa libreng sakay at service contracting [program],” Tugade told lawmakers.
(Now, we are seeking your help… help restore the budget for the free rides and service contracting programs.)
Samar Representative Edgar Mary Sarmiento, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, said, “I would strongly manifest for this committee to assist the DOTr, the LTFRB na mapag-aralan ulit ‘yung budget at bigyan natin (reevaluate the budget so we can give them funds).”
The service contracting program was allocated with P5.5 billion funds under the Bayanihan 2 law for its implementation that lasted until June 30, 2021.
The program was temporarily suspended on July 1, upon the expiration of the law’s appropriations provisions. It was relaunched on September 10 after it received a budget of P3 billion under the General Appropriations Act.
Sarmiento, in his manifestation to restore the budget for the program in 2022, said the P3 billion approved under the GAA will only last six months, “and this pandemic, based on study, will be another flu in the making five years po ito.”
“I would strongly manifest that we again assess the budget and provide a service contracting amount of no less than P3 billion for the 2022 budget,” the lawmaker said. —KBK, GMA News
DOTr wants budget for service contracting program restored in 2022
Source: Pinoy Hub News
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